A View from the Fields, Nov 2004

11.01.2004

Do you know what it means when someone says “He is contrary!” It’s an expression that refers to someone being difficult or hard to get along with at times. However, “contrary” means to do or go the opposite of that which you normally do or go. So I am asking you to go opposite from your normal bent in life in one particular area.

Jim, do you know what my normal bent is? Yes, you see I know you and I know me. Our normal tendency is to be demanding. We want what we want. We’re basically selfish and this selfishness is pervasive.

I want you to try to stop demanding, oh, let’s say for one hour - and instead be thankful. You could begin by being thankful to God for your salvation and not ask Him to do anything. (As a matter of fact, Psalm 100:4 tells us to approach the Lord with thanksgiving.) You could then be thankful for your mate, then your kids, then your neighbor, then ARBC, you could keep this up and even be thankful for your mailman! (or mailgirl, ha!)

I guarantee you’ll feel a whole lot better inside focusing on what you have and being thankful for the others in your life instead of what you don’t have, or what others have not been doing that you demanded them to do. Try it! I think you’ll like it.

We are going to try something a little different this year as we approach Thanksgiving. We will have a Thanksgiving Celebration on the Sunday night before Thanksgiving, which is November 21. We will gather together for a meal at 5:00pm and then move upstairs for a concert by Jamall Badry.

This is an excellent time to invite friends and neighbors who are unchurched to come and see who ARBC is. They can enjoy a fine Thanksgiving dinner and concert with no pressure. I will ask Jamal to give his testimony (which is quite a tale) but there will be no pressure, just a planting of seeds.

It should be a wonderful time for the “church” family to enjoy a meal together and a time corporately gathering to say “thank-you” to God from whom all blessings flow!

Thankfully,

Jim
SEE YOU THIS LORD’S DAY!

Posted by arbc at 10:38 PM